Don't Erase Me
Carolyn Ferrell's debut collection gathers stories told mostly by young narrators, many of them Black or biracial girls, finding their way through hard families and harder neighborhoods. The voices are intimate and unguarded, full of yearning and humor even when the circumstances are bleak. The title story, Don't Erase Me, is the one George Saunders points to as a piece of writing built to last. Ferrell pays close attention to how children understand the adults around them and to the small acts of care and cruelty that shape a life. The result is a collection that feels both tender and unsparing.
What you might want to know about Don't Erase Me
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
A debut collection of stories about young Black and biracial characters coming of age amid family, poverty, and longing.
Saunders has named the title story among the American short stories he believes will stand the test of time.
Don't Erase Me was written by Carolyn Ferrell, published in 1997 by Mariner Books.
Don't Erase Me is 224 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Don't Erase Me takes most readers 3 to 5 hours to finish.
Don't Erase Me is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.